


To Get You to Open Up

by HerBreakingHeart



Category: Once Upon a Time (TV)
Genre: Angst and Hurt/Comfort, F/F, Falling In Love, Fluff and Angst, Hurt/Comfort, Love Confessions, Pining Regina, Sad Ending, Unrequited Love
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-01-06
Updated: 2018-01-06
Packaged: 2019-03-01 08:39:35
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,932
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13291203
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/HerBreakingHeart/pseuds/HerBreakingHeart
Summary: "Regina, I'm sotired."They both knew she didn't just mean physically. Emma was tired ofeverything, of expectations, of lying to herself and others. Of having to be someone else. And hell, so was Regina. "God, me too, Emma.Me too."Set during 6x15.





	To Get You to Open Up

Regina couldn't quite believe it.

These last couple of years of having to suffer in silence, look away or simply leave a room could _finally_ end. The heartache, the deep sadness, the intense hurt… it was _over._

Because Emma had broken up with Killian. Regina fought to stop the immense sigh of relief: _at fucking last._

It had been the worst kind of torture to watch the woman she loved in secret seem to wither away into nothing more than a housewife. Her smiles had lost their warmth and humour, her eyes ceased to glimmer with that mischief Regina positively _adored._ Emma had been reduced to a dull eyed simpering decoration for that pirate's arm and it made the brunette seethe at the memories of having to endure that - to see the strong, powerful love of her life cling to that horrid excuse of a man.

She'd had to bite her tongue constantly, wanting to say more than anything: _I would treat you right, Emma. I would love you the way you **deserve** to be loved._ Regina didn't know if it was fear or embarrassment but she could never get the words out.

When the news of their engagement hit, Regina's hope began to truly die. Marriage would prove that what Hook and Emma had was not something that would eventually go away like the brunette desperately hoped. It was a bond, fierce and unyielding, something that would make Emma even more of a prisoner. Regina doubted that even herself could break those chains.

 _I'm happy for you, Emma, I really am._ The blonde had looked at Regina in a way that made the other woman's heart stop. Like she _knew_ that Regina was lying. _Like she knew exactly how Regina felt._

They'd hugged and Regina had sucked in a breath when Emma had whispered against her neck, _"Thank you, it means a lot."_ Her and Emma had gotten so distant since Hook had come barrelling into the picture, that Regina had began to doubt if Emma even saw her as a _friend_ let alone anything _else._

 _But now…_ Emma had called it off. _Emma had ended it._ It just didn't seem possible, Regina thought. Of course she wouldn't let herself jump to any conclusions - the situation was already painfully similar to a _lot_ of her dreams - and yet…

 _Don't be stupid,_ she chastised herself firmly. _Besides, it would be completely awful if you even began to pursue something so soon._ She would be there for Emma, as a _friend-_

"What are you looking at?" Emma suddenly said, frowning at Regina over her beer and the other woman realised she'd been blatantly _staring._ Well shit, off to a great start.

She tried not to appear too flustered, quickly stringing together words that were forming helplessly in her head, "I'm just… trying to figure out what it will take to get you to open up." _That was… ok._ A bit pushy but Regina had never been one for subtlety.

Emma blinked, confused and dazed, "Open up… what? I'm _open-_ I'm… Hook's gone. It sucks." She frowned again, going to take another sip of her beer but Regina couldn't let it go. Maybe she could show Emma just how _good_ this was for her. _For… them._

"How do you _feel?"_ Regina persisted, leaning forward in her seat. Emma didn't shy away, but her frown was still very much there.

She shrugged, "Like it sucks." Emma nodded to herself a few times, _clearly_ a bit tipsy, _clearly_ not in the right mind for this line of questioning but Regina couldn't just let this slide. It was important to her, damnit, and she found that she couldn't quite see reason either. The margarita in her hand was probably at fault for that but _fuck it._ The love of her life was sat in front of her, _finally_ single and _finally_ talking to her and Regina wasn't an idiot.

"Right. But are you mad? _Sad?_ Do you feel like throwing things or…" She was suddenly reminded of herself, alone in her house at night. Heartbreak slowly eating her away. "... crying your eyes out?"

Emma just shrugged again, not seeming to notice how Regina's voice had changed on the last few words. "I don't know. Neither? Both? All of it? I don't even know…" Her tone was flippant, seemingly uncaring, but Regina knew those walls that the blonde was fond of building around herself. She liked to think that she had enough experience to knock them down. Emma picked up her beer, swallowing large gulps that she probably shouldn't be at this point but Regina didn't have the heart to scold her.

She found herself picking up her own drink, mumbling, "And I thought _I_ was hard to crack…"

She was surprised when Emma chuckled, "Oh yeah?"

Regina met the blonde's eyes over the rim of her glass, pleased to see a faint smile on the other woman's face. "You're a frustratingly hard book to read, Miss Swan."

 _Miss Swan._ Those two words that seemed to wash away all the time they'd spent apart, take the two women right back to when it had just been _them._ God, Regina missed those times. And something in Emma's face, in the way her smile seemed to grow, told her that Emma did too.

Until it suddenly fell and she dropped Regina's gaze to stare down at her drink. "Well, it's definitely not going to be Mrs Jones anymore." Her voice cracked at the end, and god, Regina just wanted to embrace her, assure her that she didn't need that damn pirate's name to be happy. _If you'll just give me a chance…_

"I like Miss Swan better." She suddenly said, unintentionally blurting out what she was thinking. Emma slowly looked back up, her eyes wide and shining and… _was she blushing?_ No, of course she wasn't. It was just the alcohol.

"I haven't been her in a long time." Emma whispered, her eyes fixed on Regina intensely, like she was desperately trying to tell her something with them. "I haven't…" she suddenly broke off, laughing nervously, "I don't know what I'm saying, jesus christ." Her laughter stopped abruptly when Regina reached across the counter to hold onto her hand. It had been shaking terribly.

"You _are_ her, Emma." Regina implored, and she bravely stroked her thumb across Emma's knuckles. The blonde didn't snatch her hand away, much to Regina's surprise and delight. "You just have to want it bad enough."

Regina wasn't even sure what she was talking about anymore, just completely and utterly focused on Emma and the way the other woman didn't dare look away from her. It was like the rest of the world was cut off from them, an electrifying tension settling between them that hadn't felt this powerful since that time they'd been in the elevator, both working together to save Henry's life. It seemed so long ago.

"Regina, I-" Emma swallowed, her gaze full of pain and regret and… _longing._ "I don't know if I can anymore."

"Of course you can." _… my love._

"What if it's too late?" Emma fretted, and her nails dug into Regina's hand almost painfully. Nothing was about to make Regina retract her touch though. "Killian helped me be who I am now, I can't just-"

"No one makes you who you are except you, ok Emma?" Regina said firmly, barely able to keep the disgust out of her tone. "Not Hook, not your parents, not me. _You."_

Emma sighed, tears forming in her eyes but not falling. Breathlessly, she whispered, _"Regina…"_

The other woman quickly got up, still holding onto Emma's hand as she moved to sit next to her. They both turned towards each other, knees brushing on their stools. Emma's lips parted, words seeming a big effort for her, slightly slurring together, "Regina, I'm so _tired."_

They both knew she didn't just mean physically. Emma was tired of _everything,_ of expectations, of lying to herself and others. Of having to be someone else. And hell, so was Regina. "God, me too, Emma. _Me too."_

And with a sudden surge of emotion she couldn't name and her heart beating wildly in her chest, Regina lifted Emma's hand and kissed it tenderly, slowly, sweetly. Just trying to convey everything she felt for Emma in that one gesture and _praying_ that the other woman would understand. _Finally._

Emma gasped quietly, but they were now sitting so close that Regina could practically _feel_ it. _"Regina…"_ she whispered again, but it sounded different this time. Less sadness, more… something… else…

 _"Emma... "_ she whispered back, daring to edge closer. Their breaths were mingling and Regina swore that she could hear Emma's heartbeat pounding in her ears, insistent and passionate and _everything she'd ever wished for..._

And then it all came crashing down with one _damn_ voice.

_"Emma… Emma… Emma…"_

Emma instantly pulled away from Regina, shocked and confused, "What is that..?"

_"Emma are you there? Emma…"_

Regina sat frozen as the blonde looked around for a voice that was familiar to them both. It couldn't be… fate could _not_ be this cruel to her…

Finally, Emma pulled out a seemingly ordinary seashell, holding it up to her ear expectantly. She wasn't even looking at Regina anymore.

 _"I didn't mean to leave… I… I was on my way back to you but Gideon sent me away."_ A pause. _"I would **never** leave you."_

"Killian…" Emma breathed, holding tightly onto the seashell as if it were a life raft. Regina swallowed against the sourness in her throat at the sight of it. Of _her Emma_ withering away to this clingy copy instead.

_"I love you, Emma. I'm trying to get home to you and I won't ever stop until I do."_

"I love you too." She said, smiling tearfully, and Regina's heart shattered into a million pieces.

When there was no response, Emma lowered the seashell, staring at it intently. That dazed, stupid smile was still on her face, Regina couldn't help but notice. She felt like she was going to throw up, not out of disgust, but just pure _misery._ She moved to grab her drink and Emma flinched, apparently realising she was still there.

The blonde turned to her, mouth hanging open, a thousand emotions reflected in her eyes. _Something more._ But it didn't mean anything now. _Couldn't_ mean anything. "God, I don't… Regina, I-"

"Save it, _Mrs Jones_." Regina spat bitterly, instantly regretting it when Emma's gaze seemed to shut down, shut _her_ out. She forced her voice to sound softer but it took a hell of a lot of effort. "I'm happy for you."

_I'm happy for you, Emma, I really am._

The other woman gave her the same look she had before, not believing it anymore than she had last time. She cleared her throat, slowly scraping back her stool to get up.

Just when Regina thought she would leave without saying anything, she felt Emma move behind her, reaching out to take her hand and squeeze it gently. "It means a lot." she whispered against Regina's dark hair, her breath stirring against her ear. It sent shivers down Regina's spine and warmth into her heart. She couldn't help but lean into the touch, _drown_ in it, if only for a moment before Emma pulled away and she heard the other woman's footsteps as she walked out of the bar.

Regina sat there for a while, unmoving, _unfeeling._ It was only when the bartender came around and asked if she wanted a refill, did Regina finally allow herself to cry.

**Author's Note:**

> This was a mix of me missing SwanQueen so much it honestly hurts and also a vent on the butchery of Emma's character during the later seasons. I'll forever remember her as the badass sheriff who didn't need a man to know she was worth something. Amen. 
> 
> Anyways, I hope you like this little one-shot, swen family :)
> 
> *Also, I changed it so the seashell was in Emma's pocket simply for plot convenience as well as not having Snow there. Drunk Snow would've been wayyyyy too distracting ;D


End file.
